But You Promised
by girllybell
Summary: Bella and Jake had been joined at the hip for as long as they could remember. But when Bella goes to live with her mom the summer before third grade Bella and Jake lose touch. She moves back to Forks in her sophomore year of high school when suddenly Jake isn't just the little kid she remembers him to be. And Jake still hasn't forgotten about the promise she broke by leaving him.
1. The Promise She Broke

**Ok. So I got the idea for this fic after reading Fluffy Bunnies Are So Cute's Maximum Ride oneshot called Puffer Fish Lips. It isn't exactly like that but it is inspired by the fact that MAx and Fang are best friends as kids. Also, I am currently looking for a beta for this story who will not be afraid to yell at me if I don't feel like writing and who can fix any and all grammar mistakes. So if any of you are up for it, PM me or tell me in a review. Now, on with the story.**

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**The Summer Before Third Grade**

A girl and a boy are sitting on the shore at First Beach, letting the water come over their toes.

"It's cold, Jake!" The girl screeches as the water hits her legs as a particularly big rush of water engulfs the children's feet and splashes them. The boy reaches down and cups a handful of the freezing liquid and flings it at the girl. She runs away squealing and the boy runs after her and grabs her before she can trip herself.

"Not so fast Bella." He says and grins at the girl. He lets her go and they sit on a piece driftwood, holding hands as they sit in a comfortable silence. They had just gotten out of school for the summer, and were playing on the Beach before going back to Jake's house for a celebratory dinner with their dads. This upcoming year they would be in third grade together; they had gone to school on the Rez since pre-school and had always been in the same class. They had been best friends ever since they could remember and were closer than close. This is what made their silence so natural feeling. They didn't need words to know how the other was feeling. Their friendship was natural, and as easy as breathing.

"Hey Jacob?" Bella asked him after a while.

"Yeah?" Jacob looked down at her from his slightly taller height.

"I was talking to Emmet a few days ago, and he told me something that only boyfriends and girlfriends get to do together, and you have to love them with all your heart. And since you're a boy and my best friend and I'm a girl and I'm your best friend thought _we_ could do it!" Bella told him excitedly.

"Really? Sure! We're best friends so we should definitely do it. I love you more than anyone in the world! How do we do it?" Jake asked her.

"Okay. Well we have to kiss each other. On the lips." Bella tells Jacob. "And then you I can be your girlfriend, and you can be my boyfriend!" Bella is bouncing with excitement, a sparkle in her eye at her words.

Jake looks at her for a minute deciding. "Fine. As long as you promise you won't give me cooties. And you have to promise that you'll never leave me. And that you'll marry me. Okay?" Bella nodded at him.

"Okay. But _you _have to promise to love me forever. And you can't give me cooties either. Deal?" She questions him earnestly.

"Deal." He puckers his lips into a fish face and leans toward Bella, and she does the same. They press their lips together unceremoniously and burst into giggles as they lean back.

"I love you Jakey." She tells the boy still giggling.

"Love you too, Bells. But I'm hungry. Let's go back to my house, my dad made spaghetti. And your dad is coming over to watch the game. Maybe you could spend the night! We could build a fort in the living room!"

"Yeah! Let's go!" Bella runs in front of him and he follows her as they race the little way back to Billy's, laughing together as they try to run faster than the other.

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**Sophomore Year**

"Hey Dad." I say as I give my dad an awkward hug. "I've missed you a lot. How's the Rez been without me?" I ask him as he takes my bag from my hands to carry out to the cruiser.

"Just as rainy as ever. I missed you too. But Phoenix was the best place for you for a while. I'm glad your back though. It's been lonely without you. And there's, there's uh, something I need to tell you." I look at him questioningly as he scratches the back of his head distractedly. "I kinda...well I sort moved us off the Rez... Got us a place in Forks. Closer to the station, you know? Since I got promoted to chief and all... It's just easier. I hoped you wouldn't mind..." We have made it out of the airport and he puts the bags in the back seat as he finishes.

I am stunned into silence. No, I don't mind necessarily. I'm just... shocked.

"No dad, it's fine. I'll just need to get a car so I can drive to the Rez and see everyone without having to get a ride from you."

"Well, I kinda already took care of that..." He gruffs awkwardly, not even looking over at me.

"You got me a car? Wow. Thanks dad... That's... That's really nice of you." I say looking straight forward into the rain like him. Neither of us were very good at showing emotion. The only person I had ever been open with was Jacob.

_My _Jake.

It had been so long since I had seen him. I remember I had left to go live with my mom the summer before third grade. And I had visited often at first, before I had learned the wonders of the heat and grown to despise the rain I had once loved. My dad had visited me after that. And Jacob had hardly ever gotten to, and lately not at all. It had been probably five years since I had seen him. Five years since I had seen my best friend. It hit me how much I really missed him.

I decided that was the first thing I was going to do. I would go see Jacob. I would drop off my stuff at the new house and use my new car to go down to the Rez to see Jacob. Wait... my new car. My new car...

"Hey dad," I say, breaking the silence. "What kind of car is it?"

"Well, it's uh, it's a not exactly a car. It's a truck. It's not new but I bought it from Billy. Jake fixed it up. He's quite the mechanic these days, Bells." HE always had been good with his hands...

"Well then I'm sure it runs fine if Jake fixed it. I was actually... Well, I was thinking about going to go see him as soon as we got to the house. Is that okay?"

"Sure Bells. Jake sure has missed you. And I'm sure you've missed him. You guys were so close, it must have been hard for you without him." I nod at his words. I had never had a friend like Jacob, I hadn't really had many friends at all actually. I didn't fit in any of the cliques at my school in Arizona. The only place I had ever fit in was with Jake. And I was so excited to see him. But also a little nervous. Would he be the same as I remembered him? I hoped so. Because my dad was pulling into a driveway in Forks. And it was time for me to go see Jacob.

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**Sooo... What did you think? Love it, like it? Even if you hate it, please feel free to tell me. As long as you tell me why you don't like it, or what makes it suck so much, Flames are accepted and welcomed. Just be sure to tell me in a manner which might possibly help the story. If you just tell me it sucks, but not HOW it sucks, what good does that do? So thanks! I hope you review, but if not thanks for reading!**


	2. The Man He Became

**This took FOREVER to write. I am so sorry. Today I just sat down and said, I am gonna finish this. So... Still looking for a beta... So if you want to or if you know someone who might be interested send them to me. I told someone who a review a few weeks ago that this would be up a few weekends ago... I don't remember who but that didn't happen so sorry! So any type of review welcome. Flames, criticism, etc. Feel free to tell me whatever you think about it. Even if it's mean!**

**And to all you Jacob/Bella people out there... There is a little Jella tonight so YAY. Also, do you think I should make this an imprint story or just have it be werewolf/human or even human/human. If nobody answers or it is divided it is just gonna be an imprint story probably. So tell me what you think!**

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"Are you gonna be okay for dinner tonight, dad? I don't know how long I'll be over at Billy's." I am standing with my keys in my hand in the living room, ready to go but I want to make sure Charlie is good before I leave. We had just gotten home from the airport, I had only stopped by here so that I could drop off my luggage and change into some cuter jeans.

"I think I can make it one more night on my own Bells. You go check up on Jake. He's been dying to see you ever since I told him you were coming back. Don't keep him waiting any longer." He smiles at me before returning his attention to the game that he had been watching before I had even got made it up stairs.

I turn and walk out the door and get into my new -well, new to me- truck and start up the thunderous engine. Once I make it to the Rez I smile and take the familiar path to Billy's house. I am glad that after all these years, I still know the way like the back of my hand.

I am openly grinning at this point, and I know I would be bouncing up and down if I wasn't driving. Knowing me I would skid off the road and kill myself before I could get there. But suddenly my insecurities are coming back as I pull into the driveway to the place that had been my second home growing up. What if he's changed? What if he doesn't like me anymore? What if he doesn't love me like he used to? I stop that thought in its tracks and take a deep breath before opening the door to the truck's cab and hopping to the ground while somehow managing not to fall on my butt.

You can do this. You can do this. You can do this.

I repeat the mantra over and over again in my head as I quickly walk through the heavy rain that is inevitable and onto the front porch of Billy's little house. It is almost exactly as I remember it. The buckets are still in the same place catching the constant rain falling through the cracks in the roof. The rocking chair that is hardly ever used is still facing east like someone is going to watch the sunrise. As if they could see anything through the trees.

As I take in the porch one more time it comes to me that I'm purposefully stalling. I take a deep breath mentally preparing myself to see my best friend for the first time in years. No reason to be worried. Nope. Not at all... He'll forgive me for leaving right? I mean, I bet he doesn't even remember the promise... He can't, we were just kids. Stupid kids... And I'm doing it again. Gosh, I'm such a baby. It's just Jake. Just Jake. Who is suddenly standing in front of me, looking at me with that smile I forgot just how much I missed until I saw it again. When did he get there!

I let my eyes trail over him, and I have to admit he isn't looking too bad. He looks more like he's 25 rather than 16. Dang. As my eyes travel back to his face I swear I see a satisfied grin flash, before the smile that had been there a few seconds ago relights his face. His long hair is tied back into the ponytail that had been his staple hairdo since his hair had gotten long enough.

"Jake," I breath with a small smile before he grabs me into a bone crushing hug. He twirls me around once before setting me down on my feet and pulling me back so he can look at me.

"Bella! Where have you been loca? I've missed you." He grabs me again before letting all of me go except for my hand and dragging me into his house.

It strikes me how little this place has changed since I've been here last. The only differences I can find are the more recent photos around the room. I remember Embry and Quil from when I lived here before but most of the faces are unfamiliar. Most of the photos also seem to have been taken on the beach with the same few guys that all look like they have just started to bulk up.

I am busy admiring all the photos when Billy roles into the living room on his wheelchair from the kitchen.

"Hello Bella." Billy says with a warm smile on his weathered face.

"Billy! It's been so long. How are you?" I lean down and give him the best hug I can while he is in his chair.

"I'm good Bella. I'll let you and Jaco catch up. Welcome home." I grin at his words.

"Thanks Billy." I say as he smiles again in response and wheels himself into his bedroom.

"So Bells. Whatya wanna do?" He gives me a lopsided grin feels as though it lights up the entire room.

"I don't know. What do you usually do for fun these days? I haven't been here for years, how would I know what's fun around here?" I give him a grin to match his own and back out the door while he follows me.

"Well we could go to the beach. Or whatever else you wanna do." He wiggles his eyebrows around at that last part. Is he flirting with me? His steps are matching my own as we face each other looking like idiots with goofy smiles while walking into the rain.

"Why don't we go to the beach?"

He grabs my hand and pulls me next to him so I don't fall off the porch walking backwards. I laugh at the fact that he still knows that I'm still clumsy old me. When we make it safely off the porch however, he doesn't let go of my hand and I smile at the ground thinking that maybe things could be the same as the were before I left. Or maybe they could be better than they were before... Maybe it could be more than before... Oh my God what am I thinking?! Of course we aren't going to be more than friends... He probably has girlfriend anyway. Right. He has a girlfriend. I bet she's pretty. I bet she's popular and amaz-

"And..." he says drawing out the "A" sound as we step onto the sand. "We're here."  
He takes my other hand in his and drags me over to a spot in front of a piece of driftwood.

"Do you remember this?" He says about the driftwood.

"Of course. It was our special place." He grins and pulls me down with him.

"So tell me about your life. I haven't seen you in years. I missed you. It's been so boring here without my best friend y'know." It hits me how he hasn't stopped smiling since I got here, and I'm thankful he's happy to see me. I've been worried about how he would react. Especially after I broke my promise. But he seems fine to me.

"I know what you mean. There isn't anyone like you in Phoenix Jacob. You're one of a kind, you know that?" He just keeps that goofy smile on his face as I continue. "Well other than that, I don't know. I've really learned to like the sun. This rain is really depressing actually. Other than that, I've missed this place. I didn't have any close friends in Phoenix. No one that's missing me if you know what I mean. So I'm really glad to be back. This is my home." I shrug.

"I'm glad you're back too Bells. And I talked my dad into letting me go to school in Forks with you too, so you're going to be seeing a lot of me."

"Really? That's great. I was worried about not knowing anyone. I don't think I had any friends from Forks when I was little." I tell him relieved that I won't be a complete loner.

I entwine our fingers and rest my head on his shoulder. I can already feel the old bond that we had that made our relationship as easy as breathing coming back. He kisses the top of my head and I blush, glad that he can't see my face.

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We sit there until it is starting to get dark when Jacob starts to get up, taking me with him.

"It's getting late Bells. And we start school tomorrow. Think I could talk my dad into letting you spend the night like when we were little? We could even build that fort we always did. And secretly stay up late to watch TV. Just like old times yeah?"

"If your dad would let me. I can have Charlie bring my clothes over." I look up at realize how close he is.

"Do you remember why this was our special place?" He whispers looking back and forth between my eyes and my lips. I shake my head, even though I do remember why. "Because..." Jake says slowly, still whispering. "This was where I kissed you for the first time."

He closes his eyes and I watch him lean his head down to mine as slowly as he can, giving me the chance to back away if I want to. But I leave my head where it is and wait for him to kiss me. He presses his lips ever so softly to the corner of my mouth once, giving me a chance to feel exactly how soft his lips still are. He backs away slightly, opening his eyes to look at my face and smile at me once before closing them again and repeating the first kiss closer and closer to my lips until I close my eyes and grab his head and put his lips softly to mine causing him to chuckle as he kisses me tenderly.

We pull away, and he smiles at me before scooping me up and swinging me onto his back and running down the beach laughing wholeheartedly.

"Jake!" I screech. "Put me down!"

"Never Bells!" He yells at the top of his lungs.

I give up struggling and hold on as he carries me all over the beach.

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**So what did you think? Review if you want to and tell me what you thought. Also don't forget to tell me what kind of story this should be. If you have any ideas or plot you want to see for this fic let me know and I will see what I can do. Don't forget if you know a beta for me or if you want to do it give me a PM:DD Let's see... What else... If anyone wants to adopt any of my other stories, give me a PM and I will read some of your stories and see if I would feel comfortable with it. They are not officially up for adoption-but if someone WANTED to I would consider it. They are all on hiatus right now but I might continue them later. Okay. Enough of my ranting. I am gonna post this. YAY. FINALLY.**


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